I have a desktop computer with windows 7 installed on it. Recently I downloaded Ubuntu 12.04 and burned the ISO image on a new blank DVD. After successfully burning DVD, I booted from the DAD. Ubuntu interface appeared asking me to either choose try Ubuntu or install Ubuntu. I chose to install Ubuntu. Again on next screen I choose to install Ubuntu inside Windows 7. After pressing continue button the following message appeared:

6 Answers
6

I had the same problem installing Ubuntu 12.04 alongside Windows 7. In my case it was not the CD. I tried to install with several versions of Ubuntu and using USB or CD.

In my case the problem was fixed when I deleted the partition I made in windows prior to installation of Ubuntu. I don't know what was wrong but I just deleted it and allowed Ubuntu do it's own partition at the moment of installation. Maybe someone will find this useful.

I recommend

Boot with the Ubuntu 12.04LTS or favorite installation CD, and choose "Try Ubuntu" from the menu. From here, backup any Windows documents, videos...everything to an external drive or DVD-R (really anything). Many people prefer to backup using a disk image.

Restart your computer with the disk in, and let Ubuntu replace Windows 7. (UNLESS you require having access to a windows 7 machine sometimes) The installer will handle the rest.

Many users will use a WINE compatibility program to run windows program on their Ubuntu machines so that they don't have to dual-boot, but WINE won't work for everything.

Reinstalling the GRUB2 boot loader to the Master Boot Record usually solves this problem. It probably didn't get installed properly the first time. The rest of your Ubuntu system is most likely already set up correctly.

I think there is something wrong with your installer. It might not have been burned to the CD properly.

The message you received is what I received when shutting down after the OS install. So if you receive that message immediately after you pressed "Continue" from choosing to install alongside Windows 7, you haven't really installed Ubuntu yet and hence you boot up to Windows.

Don't ever do that again, installing Ubuntu right from the boot menu. The best way to install Ubuntu in a dual-boot configuration with Windows is to boot into the live session with your Ubuntu DVD or USB (choose Try Ubuntu instead of Install Ubuntu from the boot menu).

Once you are in the live session, all you have to do is to make sure you have an Internet connection running, and after that you can start the Live Ubuntu installer from the desktop. Choose the 3rd option provided by the installer which is Something else and when you get to the partition table you can use some raw partition at your choice, dividing it into 2 partitions, one large partition for root, and another small partition (up to 2GB in size) for Linux swap. You can format your root partition as Linux ext4 and choose foreslash / as startup or mount point.

Then you can select your root partition and press Next to begin installing Ubuntu. One last piece of advice, no matter how powerful your machine is, choose Ubuntu 12.04.4 32bit version instead of the 64bit version. It is the best choice if you want to go with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS in dual boot with Windows.